{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/2025/12/fitzpatrick-golden-bipartisan-bill-to-restore-federal-workers-union-rights-clears-key-house-hurdle-teeing-up-final-votes-tomorrow", "Fitzpatrick-Golden Bipartisan Bill to Restore Federal Workers\u2019 Union Rights Clears Key House Hurdle, Teeing Up Final Votes Tomorrow", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Brian K. Fitzpatrick", "F000466", "fitzpatrick.house.gov", "fitzpatrick", "https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "House approves Motion to Discharge after months of broad coalition-building\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to advance the Protect America\u2019s Workforce Act (PAWA), bipartisan legislation led by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to restore and protect collective bargaining rights for nearly one million federal workers.\n\nWith this vote, the House affirmed a principle shared across party lines: supporting the dedicated public servants who keep our government running is essential to the nation\u2019s strength. The House is expected to vote on final passage tomorrow.\n\nFitzpatrick and Golden successfully built a bipartisan coalition of 226 cosponsors, securing the 218 signatures necessary to bring PAWA to the floor\u2014a procedural milestone that signifies strong cross-party support.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s vote is a reminder of what this House can accomplish when we honor its purpose and allow the people\u2019s will to move forward. A bipartisan majority affirmed that protecting America\u2019s security and respecting America\u2019s workers are not competing priorities \u2014 they are inseparable,\u201d said Fitzpatrick. \u201cFederal workers, many of whom are veterans, are the backbone of our public service. When their voices are heard in the decisions that shape their work, our government is more stable, more capable, and better prepared to serve the American people. I\u2019m proud to work alongside Congressman Golden in leading this bipartisan effort. Tomorrow, let\u2019s carry this unity across the finish line and restore the rights that keep our federal workforce \u2014 and the nation they serve\u2014strong.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump said ending collective bargaining was about protecting our national defense. But in my District, many affected workers build our warships and care for our veterans. These workers make our country safer and stronger every day. America did not vote to silence these workers. But this bill gives all of us a chance to restore their voices,\u201d Golden said. \u201cIf the majority we built over the past few months sticks together, we can overturn this union-busting executive order, and we can show America that this body will protect workers' rights.\u201d\n\nLabor organizations representing public servants across the government praised the House\u2019s action:\n\n\u201cThe labor movement fought back against the largest act of union-busting in American history by doing what we do best: organizing,\" said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. \"We commend Reps. Golden and Fitzpatrick for leading us to a vote on the Protect America\u2019s Workforce Act and urge every lawmaker to support this bill. Working people built a bipartisan coalition to restore union rights to federal workers in the face of unprecedented attacks on our freedoms and livelihoods.\u201d\n\n\u201cTime and again, he has answered the call to defend the working men and women who keep this country safe and secure, healthy and prosperous. I urge all members of Congress to support the bipartisan Protect America\u2019s Workforce Act offered by Reps. Golden and Fitzpatrick and enact it into law,\u201d said Dr. Everett B. Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).\n\nBackground:\n\nFitzpatrick and Golden introduced the bipartisan Protect America\u2019s Workforce Act in April.\n\nThe legislation would reverse the Executive Order titled \u201cExclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs\u201d which aimed to eliminate collective bargaining rights across multiple federal agencies. Specifically, the order targeted employees in the Departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice, and Energy, as well as certain employees in the Departments of Homeland Security, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Agriculture. In total, the order impacted roughly 67% of the federal workforce, according to independent reports.\n\nFederal workers already face significant limitations in their labor rights. Unlike their counterparts in the private sector, they are prohibited by law from bargaining over wages, benefits, or job classifications and are barred from striking. Their collective bargaining rights are restricted solely to matters related to working conditions. Notably, approximately one-third of unionized federal employees are U.S. military veterans.\n\nThe Protect America\u2019s Workforce Act reaffirms a core principle: a government that serves the people must also respect the rights of those who serve within it.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/2025/12/fitzpatrick-golden-bipartisan-bill-to-restore-federal-workers-union-rights-clears-key-house-hurdle-teeing-up-final-votes-tomorrow"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8687600493431091, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}